Radiation exposure to caregivers from patients undergoing common radionuclide therapies: a review. [Review] 

 -  2015 
<br/><br/> The contribution of radionuclide therapies (RNTs) to effective patient treatment is widely appreciated. The administration of high doses has necessitated investigating the potential radiation hazard to caregivers from patients undergoing RNTs. This work aimed to review the literature regarding measured effective doses to caregivers from such patients. The main selection criterion was the presence of real radiation exposure measurements. The results were categorised according to the treatment protocol and dose parameters. Analysis of the collected data demonstrated that the measured effective dose values were within the dose constraints defined by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, provided that the radiation protection instructions were followed by both patients and caregivers. In conclusion, the radiation risk for caregivers was almost negligible. In this context, treatments could be administered more often on an outpatient basis, once cost-effectiveness criteria were established and radiation protection training and procedures were appropriately applied.Copyright © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com. 
<br/><br/><br/>English 
<br/><br/><label>ISSN: </label>0144-8420 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>*Caregivers<br/>*Occupational Diseases/et [Etiology]<br/>*Radiation Exposure/ae [Adverse Effects]<br/>*Radiation Injuries/et [Etiology]<br/>Humans<br/>Occupational Diseases/pc [Prevention & Control]<br/>Radiation Dosage<br/>Radiation Injuries/pc [Prevention & Control]<br/>Radiation Protection<br/>Scattering, Radiation
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Geographic Terms: </label><br/>MedStar Washington Hospital Center
<br/><br/><label>Index Terms--Occupation: </label><br/>Surgery/General Surgery
<br/><br/><label>Index Terms--Function: </label><br/>Journal Article<br/>Review